Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to defy a subpoena from the Georgia State Senate for her testimony during a Friday hearing.
The Senate Special Committee on Investigations subpoenaed Willis to compel her testimony related to the committee’s investigation into allegations she misused taxpayer funds.
The committee’s chairman, Republican state Sen. Bill Cowsert, is warning that Willis will not show up to the hearing.
Cowsert said after Willis refused to testify voluntarily, the committee issued a subpoena.
The state lawmaker added that Willis’s legal counsel had indicated to the committee she would not be complying with the subpoena.
“We think it’s unlikely that she will appear but disappointing that she considers herself above the law,” Cowert said.
If Willis does not appear at Friday’s hearing, the state Senate will seek to compel her attendance through a judicial order.
The order will work its way through the court system in the next few weeks.
“We do have the authority to investigate and to issue subpoenas to compel testimony and the production of documents, and if tested in court, that will be validated,” Cowsert said.
“She’ll be required to attend, and she’ll be required to produce certain requested documents. It may require a court order for her to obey them, but that’s where we’re headed.”
Friday’s hearing will feature a presentation from former Georgia Secretary of the Senate David Cook.
Cook will testify on the investigative powers of legislative bodies and the ability to subpoena.
Legislative counsel Stuart Morelli will also testify on the committee’s legal authority to conduct investigations and to subpoena individuals to testify or to produce documents.
The Republican-led committee was established in January by a resolution that passed by a 30-19 vote.
Willis, who is spearheading the politically motivated prosecution case against President Donald Trump, has come under increased scrutiny.
In February, she was accused of having an “improper” affair with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Willis had hired Wade to help prosecute the anti-Trump case.
A decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee not to disqualify her from the case is now on appeal.
That hearing is slated for December.
On Thursday, Judge McAfee dismissed two criminal counts in Willis’ case against Trump.
He ruled that prosecutors had no authority to bring the charges.
The charges related to the alleged filing of false documents in federal court.
The Georgia Senate committee has already held several hearings, including one featuring the testimony of a whistleblower who said she was fired after she raised concerns about Willis’ office’s alleged misuse of funds.
Willis said in May she believes the committee has no authority to subpoena her and told a news reporter she “will not appear to anything that is unlawful.”
“I have not broken the law in any way,” Willis told reporters at a press conference in May.
“I’m sorry folks get p—ed off that everyone gets treated equally.”
But Cowsert said the committee members are “all extremely confident that we’re acting within the constitutional and legislative authority of the state Senate.”
The hearing begins on Friday at 10 a.m. ET.
READ MORE – Trump Files Appeal to Disqualify DA Fani Willis from Georgia Case
